US-23 crash deaths: As community gathers for candlelight vigil, family offers forgiveness

Hundreds of friends, family, classmates and members of the Tecumseh community showed up Wednesday night to honor the memories of Dakota Gonzales and Curt Orlowski, the two men killed in a traffic accident last week on U.S. 23.

They gathered to share stories, shed tears and offer memories of the two young men who’ve united the small community in the wake of their deaths.

As an investigation continues into the accident that led to their deaths, Laura Orlowski, had a message for the man driving the truck the killed her son and Gonzales:

I forgive you.

“That’s how we were both raised," she said of herself and her husband, Steven, "and that’s what God teaches; you forgive,” Laura Orlowski said.

“We’re angry, we’ll always be angry, but not forgiving, inside, is just going to eat us up. It’s not serving any good to not forgive him and to be angry.”

Laura Orlowski said she thinks her son would want the family to offer forgiveness and move on.

On Monday, the Michigan State Police confirmed they’re investigating whether the man driving the truck was under the influence of alcohol. The man has not been charged in the investigation and results of the tests are still pending.

Regardless of the outcome of that investigation, the Orlowskis – who do not know the identity of the man – want him to know they are offering forgiveness, whether or not alcohol was involved.

Orlowksi said she didn’t want to trivialize the impact the accident has made on her family, but it was important for them to move past what caused the accident.

The ceremony itself lasted for nearly two hours as members of the Tecumseh High School class of 2013 – the year the two victims graduated – gathered to release hot air balloon lanterns into the sky to commemorate their classmates. Twenty six balloons in all were released, 13 for each man, the number symbolizing the year of graduation.

Classmates of the two men said they were both outstanding people and their loss will impact the community for a long time.

“They were both just so super awesome,” said Abbie Lee, who used to walk to school with Gonzales when they were kids. “There is nothing negative you could say about them.”

“There’s not enough good words to say about them and not a single bad word you could say about them,” said Nick Coffin, another classmate of Dakota and Curt.

Following the latern portion of the ceremony, the hundreds of other people in attendance made their way onto the Tecumseh High School soccer field for a candlelight vigil. They formed a massive circle on the field and bowed their heads in prayer.

The speaker, who was not identified, expressed just how much the community was hurt by the tragedy, but also offered forgiveness as well.

“We are a community in pain, but we are a community that comes together and supports one another,” the speaker said.

Dakota’s father, Vincent Gonzales spoke briefly to the crowd following the prayer thanking them all for attending and for the support they’ve received from the community. He also had a message for those in attendance.

“Hug your loved ones a little more," he said. "Because you never know.”